Providing advocacy and support services to students and families in transition.

The Covina-Valley Unified School District Homeless Education Program was designed to provide assistance to homeless students and their families in compliance with the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, an integral part of No Child Left Behind.

McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act: All school-aged homeless children are entitled to the same free and appropriate public education that is provided to non-homeless students. Definition of Homeless: A student between the ages of 0 to 22, who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, and:

• Has a primary nighttime residence that is a shelter designated to provide temporary living accommodations such as shelters, motels/hotels, domestic violence shelters, and transitional housing
• Lives in a car, park, abandoned building, public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings
• Lives temporarily in a trailer park or camping area due to the lack of adequate living accommodations.
• Lives “doubled-up” with another family, due to loss of housing, stemming from financial problems
• Is abandoned at a hospital
• Resides in a home for school-aged, unwed mother or mother-to-be, if there are no other available living accommodations
• Is awaiting foster care in limited circumstances but does not include placement in a foster family, foster family agency or group home
• Is placed by the state in an emergency shelter due to lack of alternative housing
• Is an abandoned or runaway youth or migratory child living in any of the circumstances described above.

The goal of the Homeless Education Program is to work in collaboration with school personnel and community service agencies in an effort to maximize access to various educational, social, and enrichment programs that promote academic success and student achievement.

Covina-Valley Unified School District provides the following services for homeless students:

• Transportation to the school of origin when the student is relocated out of the boundaries for the school due to homelessness.
• Opportunity to stay at the school of origin when it is in the best interest of the student.
• Ability to enroll immediately in school regardless of ability to produce immunization and residency paperwork

In addition, we are able to provide supplementary support to remove barriers for homeless students to enable them to attend school. These are only accessible pending availability and in limited quantity. These supports may include clothing, shoes, and food. To access these supports, please contact the school office where your child attends so that they can request these supports.